Harry Kane has insisted he has “never” dived during his career amid ongoing accusations of simulation, suggesting 50/50 challenges can often go one way or the other.
The Tottenham striker was deemed to take a tumble in last week’s north London derby against Arsenal, going down following a challenge by defender Sokratis late in the game. The decision went against Kane, who called it a “tired tackle”.
Having scored two penalties for England against Bulgaria on Saturday, the second of which he won himself, Kane was asked if he has ever dived.
“Never and, hopefully, I don’t have to,” he said (via ESPN). “I said after the Arsenal game it’s a 50/50 one, similar to the one we got given against us at Wembley the year before. It happens in football.
“I am someone who uses his body well, which as a striker you have to do at every level. On the halfway line it’s a free kick every day of the week. In the penalty box you don’t always get it.
“People’s opinions are their opinions. I wasn’t concentrating on that sort of stuff. For me, it’s about doing my best on the pitch and the most important thing is about winning games.”
The incident from last season Kane is referring to involved Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who won – and subsequently missed – a spot-kick late in the second Premier League north London derby of the campaign at Wembley.
Aubameyang was adjudged to have been fouled by Davinson Sanchez, but replays suggested he simulated contact. Twitter user @Delecopter recently compared the incident with Kane’s “dive” from last week. Watch below.
One was a penalty and one was a “dive” pic.twitter.com/IHxR7nvSJ4
— Marcus?? (@Delecopter) September 1, 2019
For me, both players are guilty of going down too easily, but Kane is clearly pushed slightly harder than Aubameyang. It’s a shame the referee wasn’t given another opportunity to look at it on a screen.
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